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He is a member of the enigmatic Shiranui Clan, one that follows the "way of the darkness". He seeks to enlighten his progress in the "way of evil". To this end, he travels Japan, killing anyone he can. However, in his travels, he encounters an unknown female ninja (who greatly resembles Mai) and is slain.

In Samurai Shodown II, his soul is revived by a being calling himself "leader of the Demon World" along with a proposition of servitude. Genan agrees but plots to one day slay his benefactor and rule the Demon World himself. In his ending to the same game, he is convinced by his wife, Azami, to return home and live in peace.

SNK's background designer, Tomoki Fuku said, "In regards to his background design, there’s a big boiling pot [...] there’s alien bones in that pot. Genan was part of the Shiranui tribe that defeated aliens that tried to invade the planet. That was the backstory of the character amongst the development team."

Genan is the supremely confident yet blundering fool of the series, declaring himself a king when he is really a minion amongst the masses. He is violent enough to pose a threat to humanity but a sound beating or a greater power will cause him to swiftly retreat to his home. Despite his bold proclamations for the sake of evil, Genan is really a light-hearted character who just wants the best for his family. He frequently parodies Haohmaru in Samurai Showdown II.

He fights with a claw, which can also be extended with a hidden chain. He can also spew poison gas to his opponents. One of more noticeable advantage over other characters are his kicks' uncanny priority. Players can easily chain them together and counter most attacks. In Samurai Shodown II, he also humorously parodies Haohmaru through both his win poses, story, and the names of his theme songs.